SOLO PLAY GUIDE (Blue)
the beginning of the 1969 game year.
This document is intended to allow you to play Hearts and
Minds as the Blue (US, ARVN, Cambodia, Laos) player
against the Red (NVA, VC, Khmer Rouge, Pathet Lao)
solo Bot. It is NOT a standalone document and requires
you to have the standard rules book at hand as a
reference. Your player turns will proceed pretty much
identically as they would if you were playing the two-
player game. The actions of your opponent, however, will
be carried out based upon Bot Decisions (dice rolls that
allow the Bot to make a choice from several possible
courses of action). There will be times where the Bot
Decisions do not make sense (based upon the current
state of the game). It is at times like these that you
should feel free to make a decision for the Bot that would
be representative of the most likely choice that a
competent opponent would make in that situation.
Whenever a Bot Decision must be made:
 If there are two (2) options, roll 1d6 and use Odd
(1,3,5) or Even (2,4,6) results to select from the
options.
 If there are three (3) options, use Low (1,2),
Medium (3,4), or High (5,6) results to select from
the options.
 If there are four (4) options, break them up into
two (2) groups of two (2) options and use
Odd/Even to select which two (2) options will be
the pool selected from via a second Odd/Even
roll.
 If there are five (5) options, assign a number to
each option (with a re-roll of 6s).
 If there are six (6) options, assign a number to
each option.
 If you are an RPGer, access to d4, d8, d10, d12,
and d20 may be helpful for some of these.
SETTING UP TO PLAY
1. Choose a starting year and set up the units and
markers on the game board according to the
procedure listed in the standard Rules of Play.
Use Bot Decisions where needed to determine
where Red units are deployed at start. Red Bot
will always purchase units from the Dead Pool if
it has the SRPs available to do so.
2. Separate the cards into three groups (Black,
Blue, and Red). If the starting year is 1965-
1968, then be sure to set aside the four (4) 1969
cards from the Blue and Red decks. They will
be added into the Draw Decks for each side at
3. Remove the six (6) Red and four (4) Blue
Campaign Cards from their respective decks and
use them to construct Campaign Decks (per the
procedure listed below).
4. Remove the seven (7) Red, four (4) Blue, and
five (5) Black Response Cards from their
respective decks and use them to construct
Response Decks (per the procedure listed below).
5. The remaining ten (10) (or fourteen (14) if
starting after 1968) Red cards, fifteen (15) (or
nineteen (19) if starting after 1968) Blue cards,
and twenty-one (21) Black cards are used to
construct the Draw Decks (per the procedure
listed below).
Building the Solo Campaign Decks
The following cards are used to construct the Red and
Blue Campaign Decks for solitaire play.
Red Campaign Cards Blue Campaign Cards
22 – Khe Sanh 24 – Starlite
23 – Ia Drang 25 – White Wing
24 – Iron Triangle 26 – Junction City
25 – Mekong Delta 27 - Sealords
26 – Tet Offensive
27 – Easter Offensive
If the scenario being played starts prior to 1968, then 26
– Tet Offensive and 27 – Easter Offensive are removed
from the Red Campaign Deck. At the start of 1968, add
26 – Tet Offensive to the Red Campaign Deck. At the
start of 1971, remove 26 – Tet Offensive from the Red
Campaign Deck (if it has not already been played) and
place it in the game box (if the card is already in the Red
Draw Deck, then don’t worry about it and simply remove
it from play if/when it is drawn). At the start of 1972, add
27 – Easter Offensive to the Red Campaign Deck.
If the scenario being played starts in 1971 or later, then
26 – Tet Offensive is removed from play and placed in
the game box (it will not be used for this game). At the
start of 1972, add 27 – Easter Offensive to the Red
Campaign Deck.
The Red Campaign Deck should be shuffled and placed
face down near the map. The Blue Campaign Deck may
be placed face up before you.
Note that the Zone Campaign cards (for both players) are
never removed from play. They may be re-used multiple
times. ALL Campaign cards are removed in 1973.
Building the Solo Response Decks
Building the Solo Draw Decks
The following cards (only) are used to construct the Red
and Blue Draw Decks for solitaire play.

Red Draw Cards Blue Draw Cards

The following cards (only) are used to construct the Red 6 – Hanoi Jane 4 – Tunnel Rats
and Blue Response Decks for solitaire play. 7 – AK-47 6 – ROK Forces
8 – Buddha’s Birthday 7 – Nguyen Van Thieu
Red Response Cards Blue Response Cards 9 – Sappers 8 – Operation Phoenix
1 – Boondoggle 1 – Lay Chilly 10 – General Uprising 9 – McNamara’s Fence
2 – The Tunnels of Cu Chi 2 – Kit Carson Scouts 12 – Nguyen Chi Thanh 10 – Green Berets
3 – Elephant Grass 3 – Platoon 14 – Uncle Ho 11 – Agent Orange
4 – Dac Cong 5 – Search & Destroy 15 – Flying Telephone Poles 12 – W. Westmoreland
5 – RPG-7 Rocket Launcher 16 – Vo Nguyen Giap 13 - BUFF
11 – Nguyen Cao Ky 17 – Indian Country 14 – Lima Site 85
13 – A Limited War 18 – Kent State Shootings** 15 – Paris Peace Talks
19 – The Secret War** 16 – Tiger Force
Black Response Cards 20 – Campaign X** 17 – Hamburger Hill
3 – Dinky Dau 21 – Walter Cronkite** 18 – The “Other War”
8 – Apocalypse Now 19 – Domino Theory
24 – Mad Minute 20 – Op. Menu**
25 – Hearts and Minds 21 – Lam Son 719**
26 – I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixinto-Die Rag 22 – Com. Hunt**
23 – Cambodia Inc.**
Response Decks are a unique feature of solo play. The ** - 1969 cards
Red Response Deck consists of the seven (7) Red
Response Cards plus one (1) randomly selected Black Black Draw Cards
Response Card. These eight (8) cards are shuffled and 1 – Boo-Coo 14 - Dustoff
placed face down as the Red Response Deck. Make sure 2 – Monsoon Season 15 – Pentagon Papers
to distinguish this from the Red Campaign Deck in some 4 – Zippo Mission 16 – We Gotta Get Out
manner. The Blue Response Deck consists of the four 5 – Pucker Factor Of This Place!
(4) Blue Response Cards plus the four (4) remaining 6 – Di Di Mau 17 – Firebase Zulu
Black Response Cards. These (8) cards are shuffled and 7 – Full Metal Jacket 18 – The Hanoi Hilton
placed face down as the Blue Response Deck. 9 – Out Country 19 – CCR
10 – Bring Smoke 20 – China & the USSR
Each player will draw a single card from their Response 11 – Deep Serious 21 – Over the Fence
Deck during each battle resolution. The Red Bot 12 – In Country 22 – Tet Holiday
Response Card should not be revealed until you finish 13 – Whispering Death 23 – Son Tay Prison
committing your Blue forces to the battle. If the Red Bot
is the attacker, its Response will be implemented first. If The Red Draw Deck consists of the ten (10) or fourteen
you are the attacker, then your Response will be (14) Red Draw Cards plus thirteen (13) randomly
implemented first. Ignore any “Draw a Card” actions on selected Black Draw Cards. Shuffle these 23/27 cards
a Response Card. Once all battles for the current Year and place them face down as the Red Draw Deck. This
are resolved, all Response Cards that were used are is the deck that the Red Bot will use to build his hand
shuffled back into their respective decks for use in future every year.
battles
The Blue Draw Deck consists of the fifteen (15) or
nineteen (19) Blue Draw Cards plus eight (8) randomly
selected Black Draw Cards. Shuffle these 23/27 cards
and place them face down as the Blue Draw Deck. This
is the deck that you will use to build your hand every year.
REINFORCEMENTS PHASE
The Reinforcement Phase is conducted pretty much the
same as in the two player game. Both players will collect
RPs to add to their stockpile, recover units from the Body
Count to the Dead Pool, collect reinforcement units
according to the reinforcement schedule (minus any units
that may have been already taken for the Tet offensive),
and collect free/purchase additional replacement units.
Units are then placed onto the map (the Blue player will
always place his units before the Red Bot does).
The Red Bot will always spend SRPs to purchase
additional replacement units from the Dead Pool (up until
the SRP pool is exhausted).
After the Blue player has placed all of his units, the Red
Bot will then deploy his units:
1. Red NVA units in forbidden provinces within the
interior of Laos and/or Cambodia must be re-
deployed to the closest border province within the
same country (that is free of Blue units). Use
Bot decisions if multiple border provinces are
equally distant. If stacking limits are met, choose
a different border province within the same
country (again using a Bot decision when
necessary). If all border provinces have reached
their stacking limit (and/or have Blue units in
them), these NVA units are re-deployed in NVN.
2. NVA replacement units will deploy into NVN.
Make a Bot Decision to determine if one (1) of the
replacement NVA infantry units will deploy to
Kampot province (assuming that the port at
Sihanoukville is open).
3. The Red bot will deploy 1 or 2 VC units per the
standard rules (red flagged or Cambodia/Laos
border provinces lacking any existing VC units, if
possible, else adjacent to such provinces; VC
units may deploy into provinces containing Blue
units as a “last resort” if they are the only
available option). Use Bot decisions to determine
where the units will deploy if multiple options are
available.
4. New Pathet Lao and Khmer Rouge units are
deployed into random border provinces in their
respective country. The Red bot may re-deploy
Pathet Lao and Khmer Rouge units from interior
provinces to border provinces within their own
country (use Bot decisions for each unit to
determine if it will re-deploy and then additional
Bot decisions as necessary to determine where
they will each re-deploy to, observing stacking
limits and only in border provinces free of any
Blue units).
HAND REFILL PHASE
At the start of the 1969 game year, be sure to shuffle the
1969 cards into each side’s Draw Deck (do not include the
discards in this). As the Blue player, you will conduct the
Hand Refill Phase in the exact same manner as you would
in a two player game. Remember that the Blue Zone
Campaign cards are always available for you to draw
during this phase, even if they have been previously
played. The Hand Refill Phase is conducted a bit
differently for the Red Bot. First, make a Bot Decision to
determine if the Bot will add one of his Campaign Cards
to the Red Draw Deck. If so, then blindly draw a card
from the Red Campaign Deck and shuffle it into the Red
Draw Deck (do not shuffle in the Red discard pile when
you do this). Remember to add or remove 26 – Tet
Offensive or 27 – Easter Offensive to or from the Red
Campaign Deck beforehand (if necessary).
The Red Bot does not keep a hand of cards. Rather,
during the Card Play Phase, cards will be drawn directly
from the top of the Red Draw Deck as described below.
CARD PLAY PHASE
As in the two player game, each side will alternate playing
cards, with the Red Bot playing first, until each side has
played four (4) cards. The Blue player will do this exactly
the same as in the two player game. The Red Bot will
follow a different procedure.
When it is the Red Bot’s turn to play a card, draw and
reveal two (2) cards from the top of the Red Draw Deck.
The Red Bot will play the card with the highest RP value.
If both cards have the same RP value, the Red Bot will
play the second card drawn. If a Red Campaign card is
drawn, check to see if the Bot is able to actually play it
(using the procedure below). Campaign cards that are
not playable will be set aside and shuffled back into the
Red Draw Deck at the end of the current year. A non-
Campaign card that is not selected will be returned to the
top of the Red Draw Deck (and will be the first card
drawn for the next Card Play turn).
Note that the event on the Black card 13 – Whispering
Death costs only 2 RP (instead of the normal 3 RP) for the
Red Bot in the solo game. Any card (from the Draw Deck
or the Response Deck) that is supposed to affect the
Interphase or RVN Stability phase should remain face up
as a reminder to implement it when the time comes. It
can then be discarded or shuffled back into the
appropriate deck at the end of the game year.
Conducting Zone Campaigns
If the Bot player draws (and is supposed to play) a Zone
Campaign Card from its Draw Deck, check to see if the
drawn card is actually eligible to be played.
1. If another Campaign Card has already been
played during the current year, then the just
drawn Zone Campaign Card is set aside and
replaced with a new card from the Red Draw
Deck (the unused Zone Campaign Card will be
shuffled back into the Red Draw Deck at the end
of the current year).
2. If no other Campaign Cards have been played
during the current year, then a Zone Campaign
card may only be played for the Campaign if the
Red Bot player has at least five (5) units in the
designated Zone and at least two (2) available
SRPs.
Zone Campaign is Playable and Valid
If the two conditions listed above are met, then the three
(3) RPs from the Zone Campaign Card and the two (2)
SRPs must be spent in the designated Zone to conduct
the Campaign. All PC Change Actions during the
remainder of the current year may only take place within
the designated Zone (leave the Zone Campaign card face
up near the board until the end of the year as a reminder
for this and for mid-year scoring).
1. Spend one (1) RP and select a random province
(Bot Decision) within the designated Zone that
contains a VC unit, no Blue units (Bombers do
not count), and no Red Flag marker and then
place a Red Flag marker there. Repeat this
process until all such provinces have Red Flag
markers in place or all five (5) RPs have been
expended.
2. If fewer than five (5) RPs have been used, then
spend one (1) RP and select a random province
(Bot Decision) within the designated Zone that
contains the greatest number of Red units
(minimum of three (3) Red units), no Blue units
(Bombers do not count), and no Red Flag
marker. Roll 1d6 and place a Red Flag marker in
that province on a roll that is less than or equal
to (≤) the number of Red units in the province.
The Red bot will spend up to one (1) additional
RP to convert a failed attempt into a success (the
Bot will accept failure if more than one (1) RP is
required to force success). Repeat this process
(multiple attempts in the same province are OK)
until all such provinces have Red Flag markers in
place or all five (5) RPs have been expended.
3. If there are no more remaining provinces in the
designated Zone that satisfy the requirements
listed above, make a Bot Decision. If the result
is 1, 3, or 5, then the Red Bot will stockpile any
of the five (5) RPs that are remaining. If the
result is 2, 4, or 6, then the Red Bot will spend
one (1) RP in the province in the designated Zone
in which it has the strongest combat value (with
Blue units present) and engage in battle,
following the normal Battle procedure. As the
attacker, the Red Bot will always use all Red
units in the province in the attack and will roll two
(2) dice and use the highest result for all battles
during the current card play turn. The Red Bot
will use VC units to satisfy combat losses before
losing any NVA units. If an R result is generated,
then the Red Bot will sacrifice a unit rather than
lose an RP. This process of using Bot Decisions
and engaging in Battle Actions will continue
(including, potentially, multiple battles in the
same province) until the Bot decides to stockpile
the remaining RPs or all five (5) RPs are
expended.
4. Once all five (5) RPs are spent or stockpiled, the
Zone Campaign card is then set aside and will be
shuffled back in the Red Draw Deck at the end
of the year to potentially be drawn again on a
subsequent year.
For the duration of the current year, the Red Bot will
score one (1) Dove at the end of each card play turn in
which it satisfies the Red Flag marker requirements listed
on the active Zone Campaign card.
Zone Campaign Is Playable But Not Valid
If the conditions to conduct a Zone Campaign (that being
two (2) SRPs available and five (5) units in the designated
Zone) are NOT met AND no previous Red Campaign
Cards have been played during the current year , then the
Bot player will simply stockpile the three (3) RPs from the
Zone Campaign card and make a Bot Decision roll.
On a roll of 1, 3, or 5, the Bot will do nothing else and the
Zone Campaign card will be set aside until the end of the
year (when it will be shuffled back into the Red Draw
Deck to potentially be drawn again on a subsequent year).

On a roll of 2, 4, or 6, the Bot will attempt to complete
one (1) PC Change Action in a province within the
designated Zone. In order to accomplish this, spend one
(1) RP and repeat the process listed above (for placing
Red Flag markers) until either one (1) Red Flag marker
is placed OR three (3) RPs are expended in the attempts
to place the marker. The Zone Campaign card will be
shuffled back into the Red Draw Deck at the end of the
year to potentially be drawn again on a subsequent year
and any remaining RPs are stockpiled. No extra Doves
will be scored during the current year.
Conducting Grand Campaigns
If the Red Bot player draws (and is supposed to play) a
Grand Campaign Card from its Draw Deck, check to see if
the drawn card is actually eligible to be played. If another
Campaign Card has already been played during the
current year or if the Red Bot player does NOT meet the
prerequisites to conduct a particular Grand Campaign,
then the Grand Campaign Card is set aside and replaced
with a new card from the Red Draw Deck (the Grand
Campaign Card is then shuffled back into the Red Draw
Deck at the end of the current year). If the Tet card is
drawn after 1970, it would simply be removed from play.
Tet Offensive
If the Red Bot has six (6) SRPs and the year is 1968,
1969, or 1970, then it is able to play the Tet Offensive
card. If the Tet Offensive card is drawn after 1970, then
it is discarded from play and replaced with a new card
from the Red Draw Deck. There is no restriction that the
Tet Offensive card must be played on the first card play
turn of a year (it will be less effective, but still playable,
on later turns). In order to conduct the Tet Offensive:
1. Remove six (6) SRPs from the stockpile and
deploy up to eight (8) Red infantry and/or
artillery units (taken from future reinforcements
in strict chronological order) on the Ho Chi Minh
Trail (roll 1d6 for each unit and deploy it that
many spaces south along the Trail from NVN,
observing stacking limits and moving over
stacked units further south along the Trail until
they reach a valid space, Khmer Rouge units must
deploy in a Cambodian province).
a. For 1968, this would be the four (4) NVA
infantry and one (1) Khmer Rouge
infantry from the 1969 reinforcements
plus three (3) NVA infantry from the 1970
reinforcements.
b. For 1969, this would be the three (3) NVA
infantry and one (1) Khmer Rouge
infantry from both the 1970 and 1971
reinforcements.
c. For 1970, this would be the three (3) NVA
infantry and one (1) Khmer Rouge
infantry from the 1971 reinforcements
plus two (2) NVA infantry from the 1972
reinforcements and two (2) NVA infantry
from the units set aside for the Easter
Offensive.
2. Draw four (4) VC units (unseen) from the VC Unit
Pool and deploy them as close as possible to a US
base, observing stacking limits and using the
normal VC placement procedure (and Bot
Decisions when necessary).
3. All VC units in SVN are activated and flipped face
up. Any Bad Intel units are returned to the VC
Unit Pool with no effect. All remaining VC units
are then moved one (1) province toward or into
the nearest province containing a US base. If
multiple US bases are “nearest”, then use a Bot
Decision roll to determine which US base a VC
unit moves toward (observing stacking limits).
4. All NVA units in the two (2) Zones in SVN
containing the most Red units are activated.
These activated units are then moved toward or
into the nearest province containing a US base
(observing movement point and stacking limits).
If multiple US bases are “nearest”, then use a Bot
Decision roll to determine which US base an NVA
unit moves toward.
5. The Red Bot now has nine (9) RPs to conduct
Actions with (using the normal Red Bot
procedure). In all Battles initiated during this
card play turn, the Red Bot rolls two (2) dice and
uses the best one when determining Combat
Results.
6. For the remainder of the current year:
a. VC units may move during each card turn
and may move multiple times during the
year.
b. Whenever a PC Change Action is
attempted in a province containing one
(1) or more VC units, one randomly
selected VC unit is returned to the VC
Unit Pool.
 c. In all battles, VC units must be used to
absorb losses before any NVA units are
lost.
d. All VC units remain face up (they will be
flipped over during the next Interphase)
and any newly added VC units are placed
face up (with Bad Intel units being
returned to the Pool and no replacement
drawn for them).
e. The Blue player may fly two (2)
additional Bombing missions this year.
f. During the next Interphase, the Blue
player may pay at most five (5) RPs to
prevent a coup. Play of the Red
Response Card Nguyen Kao Cy during
the current year increases that ceiling to
seven (7) RPs. If this amount in
insufficient to raise the RVN Stability to
0, then a coup occurs.
Unlike the Zone Campaigns, there is no mid-year scoring
for the Tet Offensive. During the next Interphase, the
outcome of the Tet Offensive is determined according to
the following schedule:
1. There are eight (8) City provinces in SVN. Count
the number of City provinces in SVN to contain
Red Flag markers and then subtract three (3).
The Red bot will score this number of Doves
(between 0-5 Doves possible).
2. There are eight (8) provinces in SVN that are in
Zone II and Zone III and border Cambodia or
Laos. Count the number of these border
provinces that contain Red Flag markers and the
subtract four (4). The Red Bot will score this
number of Doves (between 0-4 Doves possible).
Easter Offensive
If the Red Bot has six (6) SRPs and the year is 1972, then
it is able to play the Easter Offensive card. If the Easter
Offensive card is drawn after 1972, then it is discarded
from play and replaced with a new card from the Red
Draw Deck. There is no restriction that the Easter
Offensive card must be played on the first card play turn
of a year (it will be less effective, but still playable, on
later turns). In order to conduct the Easter Offensive:
1. Remove six (6) SRPs from the stockpile and
deploy four (4) untried NVA infantry, four (4)
tanks, and one (1) artillery unit from the Off-Map
Unit pool (not the Dead Pool). These units are
placed in NVN or Cambodian border provinces
(use Bot Decisions to place the units and make
sure to observe stacking limits). Note that some
of these units may not be available to deploy if
the Tet Offensive Campaign was played during an
earlier year.
2. Up to four (4) infantry units and one (1) artillery
unit may be re-positioned from NVN to a
Cambodian border province. Use Bot Decisions
to determine whether or not the units will move
and where they will move to.
3. All VC units in SVN are activated and flipped face
up. Any Bad Intel units are returned to the VC
Unit Pool with no effect. All remaining VC units
are then moved one (1) province toward or into
the nearest province containing a US base. If
multiple US bases are “nearest”, then use a Bot
Decision roll to determine which US base a VC
unit moves toward (observing stacking limits).
4. All NVA units in the two (2) Zones in SVN
containing the most Red units are activated.
These activated units are then moved toward or
into the nearest province containing a US base
(observing movement point and stacking limits).
If multiple US bases are “nearest”, then use a Bot
Decision roll to determine which US base an NVA
unit moves toward.
5. The Red Bot now has nine (9) RPs to conduct
Actions with (using the normal Red Bot
procedure). In all Battles initiated during this
card play turn, the Red Bot rolls two (2) dice and
uses the best one when determining Combat
Results.
6. For the remainder of the current year:
a. In all battles, VC units (if any) must be
used to absorb losses before any NVA
units are lost.
b. The Blue player may fly three (3)
Bombing missions during each card turn
this year (up to twelve (12) total
Bombing missions may be flown).
c. During the next Interphase, the Blue
player may pay at most five (5) RPs to
prevent a coup. Play of the Red
Response Card Nguyen Kao Cy during
 the current year increases that ceiling to determine which country
seven (7) RPs. If this amount in (Cambodia or Laos) is activated.
insufficient to raise the RVN Stability to If any Red units are in the same
0, then a coup occurs. province as one or more Blue
units in that country (use a Bot
Unlike the Zone Campaigns, there is no mid-year scoring Decision to determine which
for the Easter Offensive. During the next Interphase, the province if more than one is a
outcome of the Easter Offensive is determined according valid option), then conduct a
to the following schedule: battle in that province. Else,
move all Red units in one
1. There are eight (8) City provinces in SVN. Count province toward the nearest
the number of City provinces in SVN to contain Blue unit(s) in that country
Red Flag markers and then subtract three (3). (again, using Bot Decisions, if
The Red bot will score this number of Doves necessary, to determine which
(between 0-5 Doves possible). province to activate and where
the units will move). If this move
2. Score one (1) Dove for every four (4) Blue units places the Red units in the same
(including ARVN, LA and CA units) in the Body province as Blue units, then
Count Box (rounded down). conduct a battle as above.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Red
bot will not move units to engage
Playing Non-Campaign Cards
in combat if it cannot attain at
least even odds. If this is the
If the Bot player draws (and is supposed to play) a non-
case, then the Red units will
Campaign Card from its Draw Deck, the following will take
simply stay put.
effect.
iii. Regardless of whether or not a
1. If the card grants 5 RPs, then the Red Bot will
raid takes place here, if there are
use a Bot Decision roll to determine if it will bank
any Red Units in NVN, then the
one (1) SRP and use the four (4) remaining RPs
Bot will spend one (1) RP and
as normal via the Red Bot Decision Tree OR if it
any units in NVN will deploy
will use all five (5) RPs via the Decision Tree.
down the Ho Chi Minh trail (roll
1d6 for each Red unit and move
2. Before spending the first RP, the Red Bot will roll
it that many spaces down the
one (1) die to determine if it will make a free Raid.
Trail). Move units further south
This check is made before spending the first RP
down the trail if over stacking
on every card played during the current year.
occurs until a valid destination is
reached. If there are no Red
a. On a roll of a 1, the Red Bot will make
Units in NVN, then do not spend
such a Raid.
that RP and proceed directly to
Step 1 in the Red Bot Decision
i. Select a province that contains a
Tree
VC Unit and is adjacent to a
province that contains one or
b. On a roll of 3 or 5, the Red Bot will make
more Blue units (use a Bot
no Raid but will just spend one (1) RP
Decision if multiple provinces
and deploy any units in NVN as listed
qualify). A roll on the
above. If there are no Red Units in NVN,
Ambush/Raid table (with no
then proceed directly to Step 1 in the
DRM) is made to determine the
Red Bot Decision Tree
outcome of the Raid.
c. On a roll of 2, 4, or 6, no Raid will be
ii. If a Raid takes place, then check
made and if there are Red Units in NVN,
for free movement and/or
then the Red Bot will spend one (1) RP
combat in Cambodia or Laos.
and move up to four (4) NVA Infantry
Make a Bot Decision to
and up to one (1) NVA Support unit into
 Quang Tri province (with any remaining
Red Units in NVN deploying down the
Trail as listed above). If there are no Red
Units in NVN, proceed directly to Step 1
in the Red Bot Decision Tree.
MOVEMENT
During the course of play, VC units will not leave the
province of their origination except under three
circumstances.
1. As participants in the Tet Offensive or the Easter
Offensive.
2. To evade before a battle.
3. To retreat due to a Blue card event.
If multiple VC units end up in the same province, then at
the end of each card play turn, move surplus VC units to
adjacent provinces with the fewest number of Blue units
(use Bot decisions, as necessary).
BATTLES
Evasion and Retreating
Lone Red Bot units will always attempt to evade before a
battle.
A stack of 3 or fewer Red Bot NVA units that is
outnumbered will decide to make an evasion attempt on
a roll of 1-3 (with a -1 DRM for each unit in the attacking
force above the number of units in the defending force +
1; for example, a force of 5 units attacking a stack of 3
units would have a -1 DRM to the evasion decision roll).
Any VC units in the same province will attempt to evade
only if the NVA units attempt to evade (remember that VC
units evade individually, apart from any other units in the
same province).
NVA units will evade or retreat only into provinces that
contain no Blue units. VC units will prefer to evade or
retreat into provinces that contain no Blue units, but will
do so into Blue occupied provinces as a last resort. Bot
decisions may be used to determine where evading or
retreating units will retreat to.
If the result on the evasion table calls for the potential
loss of an SRP, then the Red Bot will choose to lose a unit
instead.
VC units that successfully evade will be flipped to their
concealed side.
Battle Reinforcements
The Red Bot will automatically bring reinforcements into
a province after a battle if: (a) there is a surviving Red
unit, (b) if the bot has at least one (1) available SRP, and
(c) if there are three (3) or more available Red units that
may move in as reinforcements. All three conditions must
be satisfied or the bot will not reinforce the battle. Use
Bot Decisions, as necessary, to determine which adjacent
province any reinforcements will originate from.
Reinforcements (up to the stacking limit) will then move
into the battle province.
AMBUSHES
Whenever any Blue unit(s) enter(s) a province (when
moving or retreating) occupied by a VC unit, the Red Bot
will make a Bot Decision to determine whether or not it
will conduct an ambush. Flip the unit and roll on the
Ambush/Raid table (if it is not a Bad Intel unit). A
revealed Bad Intel unit will result in making a roll on the
Bush Event table.
RED BOT DECISION TREE
The Red Bot will spend RPs for non-Campaign cards
based upon the procedure listed in the Red Bot Decision
Tree. Simply start at the top of the tree and use dice rolls
to navigate through it. If a die roll results in an option
that is impossible to fulfill, then do not spend any RPs and
move on to the next decision branch in the tree. If you
reach the end of the tree and still have RPs remaining to
spend, then simply return to the top of the tree and
continue from there.
IMPORTANT: If the Red Bot is NOT conducting any
sort of campaign and the Blue player IS conducting a
Zone Campaign, then the Red Bot will prioritize PC
actions in the provinces that are part of the Blue Zone
Campaign. A Red player would want to try and take
actions that would minimize the number of Hawks earned
by Blue during his campaign.